11.15.17

Senate To Confirm Nominees For Army, MSHA, Comptroller Of The Currency

‘We advanced the nomination of David Zatezalo to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health - an important position to the thousands of miners in states like Kentucky. I look forward to confirming his nomination early this afternoon —along with that of Mark Esper, who will be confirmed to another important position: Secretary of the Army. Also, we will turn to Joseph Otting, President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Comptroller of the Currency.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on the Senate floor regarding the need to confirm more of the president’s well-qualified nominees:

“Yesterday, the Senate continued its efforts to confirm the president’s talented nominees to staff the federal government. We advanced the nomination of David Zatezalo to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health – an important position to the thousands of miners in states like Kentucky.

“I look forward to confirming his nomination early this afternoon —along with that of Mark Esper, who will be confirmed to another important position: Secretary of the Army. Also, we will turn to Joseph Otting, President Trump’s nominee to serve as the Comptroller of the Currency. This position is crucial to protecting our national banking system, and Mr. Otting has the experience necessary to excel there.

“Then, the Senate will continue our efforts to ensure that our nation’s judiciary fulfills its proper role in our democracy by confirming two more talented nominees to serve as federal district court judges. President Trump has continued to nominate individuals who will interpret the law as it’s actually written, not as they wish it were.

“Donald Coggins has been nominated to serve as a district court judge in South Carolina. He has been in private practice in South Carolina for over three decades. The Senate Judiciary Committee reported his nomination by a voice vote. He is a talented nominee, and I look forward to confirming him soon.

“Then, the Senate will consider the nomination of Dabney Friedrich to serve as a district court judge for the District of Columbia. Ms. Friedrich has a wealth of experience having been in private practice, served as an Assistant United States Attorney in both the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of California and been confirmed twice by the Senate as a commissioner on the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

“The Judiciary Committee also reported her nomination by a voice vote. These nominees will respect the rule of law on the federal bench, and they should be confirmed without delay. I would like to again thank Chairman Grassley for his commitment to bringing the president’s impressive judicial nominees to the floor.

“These are both respected nominees who have the support of members on both sides of the aisle. I hope that we can consider their nominations without any partisan procedural hurdles. We should confirm them soon.”

Related Issues: Nominations